Learning & Effectiveness - Global COE Instructional Designer (Manager)

Role Overview

The Global Instructional Design Manager (Growth Learning) leads the design and delivery of high-impact programs that build business development, sales effectiveness, and client relationship capabilities across the firm. This role partners closely with business leaders, growth teams, and subject matter experts to translate revenue priorities into practical, skill-based learning experiences that drive measurable outcomes.

In this global role, the Instructional Design Manager establishes scalable design approaches while tailoring content to regional market realities—ensuring programs are relevant, actionable, and aligned to growth strategy.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• A business-minded professional with a strong understanding of sales, client development, and revenue growth drivers, plus progressive instructional design experience in sales and business development.
• Highly collaborative and action-oriented, capable of building productive relationships across a matrixed, global organization.
• Skilled in designing applied, practice-based learning (e.g., role plays, simulations, deal labs, coaching) that builds real-world business development capability.
• A strategic, data-driven designer who uses pipeline, win rate, and client engagement metrics to shape and evaluate learning impact.
• Highly consultative; able to challenge and influence business leaders to align learning solutions to growth priorities.
• Comfortable working with senior leaders, including partners and client-facing professionals.
• Adept at prioritization, delegation, and managing multiple projects and stakeholder needs simultaneously across regions.
• Culturally agile, comfortable working across countries, cultures, and time zones, and able to adjust communication and design approaches accordingly.
• An effective coach and mentor with an approachable style and proven ability to guide project teams and junior designers.
• Confident in ambiguity; able to navigate global alignment with local adaptation needs with initiative and creativity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree; advanced training or certification in instructional design, adult learning, or learning technologies preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive success in instructional design, learning development, or related project/learning management roles, ideally within a professional services environment.
• Experience designing programs for mid- to senior-level professionals focused on business development, sales strategy, or client relationship management.
• Demonstrated experience designing blended, virtual, in-person, self-study, and experiential learning solutions across geographies.
• Strong consultative skills with the ability to translate business needs into targeted instructional solutions.
• Experience working with global and offshore vendors, managing timelines, quality standards, and deliverables.
• Strong verbal, written, and visual communication skills.
• Solid PC skills with expert proficiency in MS Office 365.
• Knowledge of compliance requirements for CPE/CPD and regulatory learning standards.
• Ability to travel as needed.

Core Responsibilities

Growth Learning

• Partner with growth leaders to identify capability gaps impacting revenue (e.g., pipeline development, storytelling, pricing, relationship building).
• Monitor emerging learning trends and tools and assess the viability of incorporating them into new and existing global growth curriculum.
• Translate firm growth strategy into clear, actionable learning experiences tied to client lifecycle moments.
• Establish content development plans and lead build/buy/partner decisions; oversee vendor selection and management.
• Design and deliver programs that build practical business development skills, including opportunity identification, pursuit strategy, and client conversations.
• Align programs to key industry, business and organizational metrics to create a program evaluation strategy that measures effectiveness and ROI.
• Reinforce learning through on-the-job sales coaching, application, and feedback loops.

Overall

• Manage complex learning design projects to meet timelines, budgets, and stakeholder expectations.
• Ensure learning solutions comply with global quality standards, regulatory requirements (CPE/CPD), and firmwide design practices.
• Leverage analytics to evaluate learning impact and inform continuous improvement.
• Coach junior designers and contribute to a collaborative, feedback-rich team culture.
• Build an inclusive and collaborative team culture across global and regional teams.

Global Teaming & Cross Cultural Expectations

• Work effectively with team members and stakeholders located across multiple countries and time zones.
• Demonstrate cultural awareness, curiosity, and adaptability.
• Adjust communication and working styles to accommodate the needs of global teammates and diverse participant populations.
• Flex schedules occasionally to support global rhythms.
• Foster inclusive collaboration to ensure global alignment while respecting regional differences.

Compensation

The base salary range for this position is between $104,000 and $156,000. Placement within the pay range is at Grant Thornton's discretion, based on multiple factors including job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, and geographic location.

About Grant Thornton

At Grant Thornton, we believe in making business more personal and building trust into every result. We offer a career path with more opportunity, more flexibility, and more support.

Note: This position requires in-person attendance at least three days per week, either at a GT office or client site.

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of Grant Thornton to promote equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital or civil union status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.